Apparatus for making denture

Abstract

Apparatus for making dentures comprising a base, an articulating member pivotally mounted to the base and adjustable with respect thereto, magnets on the base adapted to hold a metal plate in a fixed position on the base, and a probe on the articulating member for spacing the articulating member a predetermined distance above the base. Measurements are taken on a patient's mouth and his preexisting dentures are placed on the plate. Plaster of paris or other suitable material is placed on the articulating member in a non-solidified state and retained thereto. The measurements taken are used to adjust the probe and the relation of the dental cast to the plate, and the denture may be raised or lowered with respect to the base, using loose magnets and shims, to provide the desired position and angularity to the denture. When the articulating member is pivoted into a position engaging the denture on the plate, a cast of the upper portion of the denture containing therein an impression of the patient's edentulous ridge is thereby related to the proposed occlusal plane. This mounted cast can then be used to make dentures by techniques well known in the art.

I claim: 
     
       1. Apparatus for reproducing dentures including: a main base having a trio of first magnetic means fixedly disposed on the upper surface thereof at a trio of spaced locations thereon adapted to magnetically attract a magnetic metallic plate;   a metallic plate loosely disposed on the upper surface of said base and magnetically held thereto by said magnetic means;   guide means associated with both said base and said plate for aligning said plate in a predetermined position on said base;   an articulating member fixedly secured to said base having a main support extending upwardly from said base and fixed thereto, said articulating member including an articulating portion pivotally mounted to said main support extending outwardly over the upper surface of said base and spaced therefrom when in a first position and pivotable to a second position extending generally normal to the plane of the upper surface of said base;   a trio of second movable magnetic means adapted to be both interposed between said first magnetic means and said plate; and adapted to be magnetically mounted on the top of said plate, and   a probe carried at the forward end of said articulating portion at a point thereon away from the pivot point thereof to said main support, said probe being vertically adjustable with respect to said articulating portion and extending vertically downwardly generally normal to the plane of the upper surface of said base when said articulating portion is in said first position, said probe terminating at its lower end in a point adapted to abut against the upper surface of said base when said plate is removed therefrom wherein the trio of second magnetic means are adapted and employed to orient a denture-based cast of the user's jaw configuration, using coordinates designated on the denture-based cast, to the proposed occlusal plane for the correct construction of a new denture.   
     
     
       2. In the apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first magnetic means includes a trio of circular bosses on the upper surface of said base forming circular cavities, said bosses being of metallic material. 
     
     
       3. In the apparatus of claim 2 wherein the upper surface of said base is generally triangularly shaped with said bosses being disposed at the apices of said triangle. 
     
     
       4. In the apparatus of claim 3 wherein said guide means includes vertical spaced posts on said base rearwardly of said bosses adjacent the point of connection of said main support to said base, said guide means further including cut-out portions in said plate adapted to straddle said posts when said plate is disposed on said base. 
     
     
       5. In the apparatus of claim 1 wherein said articulating portion includes an oval-shaped member having an elliptical opening therethrough. 
     
     
       6. In the apparatus of claim 1 wherein the pivotal connection of said articulating portion to said main support is adjustable to alter the range of motion. 
     
     
       7. In the apparatus of claim 1 wherein said main support includes a U-shaped bracket fixed at the top thereof, and a spring-biased screw having a main shaft extending through said bracket away from said base and a head abutting against said articulating portion, a spring encircling said screw between said head and said bracket. 
     
     
       8. In the apparatus of claim 7 wherein said main support includes a pair of spaced upwardly extending arms, each of said arms being bifurcated at the top thereof with said U-shaped bracket fixedly secured thereto, said articulating portion having a pin resting in said spaced bifurcated portions and retained therein and pivotal thereabout. 
     
     
       9. In the apparatus of claim 8 wherein said articulating portion includes a boss having a throughbore receiving said pin therethrough, a flange extending away from said boss at an angle with respect thereto, when said articulating portion is in said first position, to an elliptically-shaped member extending generally horizontally over said base having an elliptically-shaped opening therethrough, said elliptically-shaped member terminating at an extension portion receiving said probe in an aperture therein, said flange, said boss, said elliptically-shaped member and said extension portion forming said articulating portion. 
     
     
       10. A combination of a preformed upper denture-based cast of the user's current jaw configuration, with an apparatus for use in the manufacture of a new denture, which apparatus is used to orient said denture-based cast along the occlusal plane of the to be made new denture, which apparatus comprises: a main base having a trio of first magnetic means fixedly disposed on the upper surface thereof at a trio of spaced locations thereon adapted to magnetically attract a magnetic metallic plate;   a metallic plate loosely disposed on the upper surface of said base and magnetically held thereto by said magnetic means;   guide means associated with both said base and said plate for aligning said plate in a predetermined position on said base;   an articulating member fixedly secured to said base having a main support extending upwardly from said base and fixed thereto, said articulating member including an articulating portion pivotally mounted to said main support extending outwardly over the upper surface of said base and spaced therefrom when in a first position and pivotable to a second position extending generally normal to the plane of the upper surface of said base;   a trio of second movable magnetic means adapted to be both interposed between said first magnetic means, and said plate; and adapted to be magnetically mounted on the top of said plate,   a probe carried at the forward end of said articulating portion at a point thereon away from the pivot point thereof to said main support, said probe being vertically adjustable with respect to said articulating portion and extending vertically downwardly generally normal to the plane of the upper surface of said base when said articulating portion is in said first position, said probe terminating at its lower end in a point adapted to abut against the upper surface of said base when said plate is removed therefrom;   and retention means for retaining said upper denture-based cast on the articulating member of said apparatus, wherein the said plate is magnetically secured to said trio of first magnetic means, and the trio of second magnetic means are mounted on the top of said plate, interposed between said denture-based cast and the plate, at locations on the plate corresponding to predefined coordinates on said denture-based cast to align the cast along the proposed occlusal plane for the new denture.   
     
     
       11. The combination of claim 10 wherein the retention means is plaster of paris.